Beep
by AirbornAnomaly
Summary: Grocery stores are a great place to pick up chicks if you're a tiny teal fox who knows what she wants.
1. Through a Scanner Teal-y

_Beep._

"I can't believe this place!"

_Beep._

"I mean, the line is going halfway down aisle one and you're the only guy here?"

_Beep._

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad at you or anything."

_Beep._

"I'm just angry that a system like this even exists!"

_Beep._ A box of cookies was shakily added to the growing pile of checked out food and the cashier behind the seemingly endless four foot conveyor belt of groceries was sweating uncomfortably. His unsure hands reached for the bag of oranges and carefully put them on the scale. The customer was always right, and he was overworked. Eight cashier stands and his was the only one open when there were at least fifteen people in line to check out. He wondered where his coworkers were and allowed himself a sigh when he remembered their habit of hanging out in the stockroom during peak hours. He hated this job and if it weren't for the fact that it was only him and his sister at-

"You know, I would love to speak to a manager today!"

His thoughts were cut off by the irate pink-haired lady in front of him. Her face was flush with frustration, puffing out her slender cheeks. Her sparkling blue eyes were crashing into the whites more like whirlpools than the ocean, telling the stories of unsung problems. She wasn't old, but she definitely had a few years on his sister. If she wasn't so angry she would look very pretty.

"I-I'm sorry, Miss," he stuttered, trying hard to focus on his task without getting into any sort of confrontation. _Beep._

"Oh, don't get me wrong…" she leaned down really close to get a look at his name tag. He stiffened as he placed the bananas on the scale. He learned at his various jobs that if you don't move the customers scrutinize you more, but nervous habits are hard to break. It didn't help that she was so pretty and when she bent forward like that he could see straight down her- "…Kouta. I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at society!"

He shot his gaze to the moving belt of food and grabbed the melon that stopped right in front of his outstretched hand. At the corner of his eye he caught the next customer in line giving him a knowing smirk. When would this end? How much food was this lady buying?

"I come out to my local grocery store first thing in the morning," It was noon, "Wearing my damn pajamas figuring that nobody would be here," That explained the tank top, short shorts, and messy hair, "Only to wait in line for years while my poor tummy growls itself to death!" Her shoulders slumped and she tucked some hair behind her ear. "It isn't your fault, Kouta. In fact, the way you're handling this, you should be the manager! I bet you'd do a better job than the asshole who lets the line for check out get this long!"

"Is there a problem, Miss?"

Kouta turned to the husky female voice behind him with a deadpan stare. The crossed arms, tapping foot, and unrelenting glare confirmed his fears that the manager was indeed standing behind him for that entire rant. _Beep._ That package of spaghetti was the last item in pink-hair-angry-woman's pile. She didn't even notice since she was too busy eyeing up the target of her wrath. She crossed her own arms with a snort.

"Yeah, I do have a problem, you cheap huss-mmggrhh!" Kouta sighed in relief as the next customer in line covered pink-hair's mouth before she could find herself banned from the store. The saviour gave Kouta a wink that seemed to match her earlier smirk and began rubbing pink-hair's shoulder.

"Hey, Sweetheart," she cooed gently. "Calm down and pay for your groceries." Her teal hair was possibly the longest Kouta had ever seen and the way one of her twintails coiled around the side of pink-hair gave off the illusion of a blanket. Her face was softer than the other customer's, with rounder eyes that matched her hair in colour and more naturally round cheeks. Her button nose was almost offset by the full lips whose smile seemed like it could never be unfurled.

Pink-hair shook off the hand and exhaled very deeply before reaching into her back pocket and flashing Kouta a credit card. He set up the sale and motioned for her to swipe, noticing that she refused to look to his left. A good thing too, since his boss had possibly the cockiest grin he had ever seen her sport.

Teal-hair started loading the goods into Pink's cart without removing a comforting hand from her back. "Let's just get you home and run you a nice bath, hmm? Get you lunch and you can forget all of this even happened?"

Pink shot her a curious look but nodded her head and signed where Kouta signalled. With her groceries paid for and safely loaded she allowed Teal to lead her to the automatic double doors. Everyone watched them leave, waiting for something else irregular to happen. Just waiting for absolutely anything to snap them out of this weird fairytale and bring them back to-

Pink gave the manager a particularly rude hand gesture as she pushed her cart out the doors, Teal chuckling airily as she rubbed her companion's shoulder gently.

"Bitch," his manager spat as she returned the symbol and went off, leaving Kouta to once again deal with the line as the only cashier. With a dejected sigh he reached for the nearest item. _Beep_. He looked up to see the next customer waiting with a full cart and a confused shrug. The conveyor was filled with groceries and an empty cart sat next to it. He looked from the groceries, to the cart, to the door, to the groceries again before quickly darting to the entrance. He searched for a spot of teal in the parking lot and yelled in her general direction.

"Miss, you forgot to buy your groceries!"

* * *

><p>"What is he yelling about?"<p>

"Who cares, I'm Miku," Teal put a bag of groceries in the trunk and stuck out her hand.

Pink set down her bag and looked at the offered hand for a moment, admiring the shade of teal nail polish. In fact, everything about this girl was teal from the soles of her running shoes to the tips of her hair. She had a loose fitting teal blouse on with the hint of a teal bra-strap running tightly over her shoulder. Her skinny jeans were more of a blue but it was close enough. Her mind couldn't stop itself from wondering about the garment she couldn't see and whether it was-

Miku's hand waved in the air for a second and Pink flushed from embarrassment before quickly taking the hand and shaking it. "I'm Luka, nice to meet you."

"Absolutely wonderful to meet you," Miku cheered, lifting another bag from the cart and putting it in the trunk. "It isn't every day I get a new friend!"

"New friend?" Luka asked with a tilt of the head. "We just met."

"Are you saying you aren't my friend?" Miku countered with a smirk.

"Well, no, I wouldn't say that," Luka conceded. She leaned in to put the last grocery bag in the only empty spot in the small trunk. When she came up she smiled. "You might have saved me from a lawsuit so I guess we're good friends already." Miku smiled even brighter in return, tilting her head so she could look the taller woman in the eyes. Luka stared, enjoying the energy that this girl radiated until she was pulled out of it by a shift of teal eyes. Her own blue followed the gaze straight into the apex of her ample cleavage. A blush dusting her beautiful features, she grabbed the deep collar of her shirt and pulled it up as high as it would go.

Miku coughed. "So what are you doing today?"

"I thought you were giving me a bath and feeding me lunch?" Luka fought off an even deeper blush as she tried to sound cool.

Miku laughed, loud and clear, the awkwardness of a few seconds ago burned into nothing by the sweet, sweet, tones of her happy noise. Luka relaxed and slammed the trunk of her car shut.

"Well, I'm not sure about the bath since we just met and you don't seem like that kind of girl, but I could treat you to lunch," she offered with a wink of a teal eye.

* * *

><p>Luka stared at the burger in front of her. Cheese was drooping off the edges of the bun and lettuce was spilled all over the burger's wrapping as if whoever made it got lettuce everywhere except for on top of the meat. The fries were spilled onto the tray next to it in a way where she couldn't tell if they actually filled the little package or spilled them to make it look like they were filled. A cardboard cup with a large 'M' on it was placed in front of her.<p>

"There's your drink!" Luka's new friend announced, round cheeks glowing with joy. "I hope you like root beer."

"Thanks," Luka replied. She wasn't sure why she expected more for lunch than fast food but she couldn't help but be disappointed. "I actually love root beer, it's my favourite."

The smaller girl mimed the action of writing something on a notepad. "Good to know!"

"Are you always like this, Miku?"

Teal twin-tails bounced with a tilt of the head. "I think so. Is that a problem?"

"No!" Luka corrected quickly, holding her hands up awkwardly. "It's, uh, good. I'm glad."

"Great!" Miku cheered before digging in to her own burger. Luka watched her eat, not sure what to say. She picked up her own cheeseburger and took a bite. It was tasty, but she couldn't quite shake the craving for pasta and a glass of wine.

"So, what's your story, Luka?" Miku asked, putting down her food and smiling satisfactorily.

"My story isn't interesting, certainly far from a bestseller," Luka quipped.

"I would buy it," Miku answered honestly.

Luka giggled. Then she choked on her food. She grabbed her root beer as fast as she could and took a long sip out of the straw. She couldn't remember the last time she giggled. She fought off a blush and wasn't shocked to see her new friend looking even more smug.

"You're wasting your money, but thanks anyways," Luka began. "I'm a teacher. High school. Mainly English, but I've been known to cover history and civic studies courses."

"Wow, that's cool!" Miku beamed. Luka couldn't tell if she was serious or not. "You don't really strike me as a teacher though."

Luka frowned. "Why not?"

"Weeeelll," Miku drawled. She sipped at her drink then winked across the table. "You're very sexy. I figured you to be a model or an aspiring musician or something."

Luka's face burned. She hadn't been openly complimented like that by a stranger that wasn't under eighteen in years. She opened and closed her mouth helplessly, trying really hard to find even a simple 'thank you' in her memory banks.

"I never knew teachers wore shorts that deliciously short, or cussed out managers at the grocery store."

Luka coughed to regain composure. "She deserved it."

"No doubt," Miku agreed with a nod. "You were so cute though, all flustered and grumpy."

"Thanks," Luka finally said stiffly. She chewed the moment over with her cheeseburger then decided to change the focus of the conversation. "What do you do, Miku?"

"Nothing," Miku shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"Nothing as cool as you. I just work at the local Wal-Mart. Late shifts most of the time since they pay me more for them. I earn enough to live."

"Are you going to school?"

Miku shook her head. "Graduated last year. Honours in Political Science, I have a fancy degree and everything. The issue is that I don't want to become a lawyer and there isn't much else for me to do with my major right now."

"You just have to keep looking, there are always options," Luka assured.

"My Dad offered me a job, I just don't feel like going back home to take it."

"You moved here?" Luka pressed.

"Yep! I moved here for school and decided to stay. It's a nice place, plus there's that cute girl with the pink hair I always see at the grocery store."

Luka smiled uneasily. "I moved here too. Over ten years ago now. It feels more like home than my old town."

"I know what that's like!" Miku agreed. "I mean, I've only been here for six years but I have a sign hanging over my door reminding me that home is where the heart is, and my heart is definitely somewhere between my apartment and across this table."

Luka relaxed a bit in her chair, the awkward aura of meeting someone new fading faster and faster. Miku was someone she could be good friends with. Really good friends.

"How old are you, Luka?" Miku pried.

Luka frowned gravely. "Didn't someone ever tell you to never ask a girl her age?"

"I'm just wondering," Miku explained, holding her hands up defensively. "I mean, you aren't old. You can't be more than thirty."

Luka felt a searing pain in her chest. She grit her teeth and tried not to growl her words. "I'm twenty-seven..."

"Whoops." Miku looked down and rubbed the back of her head. She finished the last bite of her burger before daring to continue. "I'm twenty-four."

"Is that supposed to make me feel less old?"

Miku shifted in her seat and frowned. "No, but you aren't far off or anything. Nothing wrong with the age twenty-seven, as far as I can tell. Sorry."

"It's okay," Luka sighed. "You just really feel your age when you spend your days filled in a class of youth."

"I bet the girls admire you. You have an adult beauty that no teenager could ever dream of replicating."

Luka sat up straight in her hard plastic chair. She didn't want to believe her hunch but she did just meet this girl. First impressions could be deceiving. "Are you making fun of me?"

"What?" Miku squeaked, jumping in her spot. "Why would you think that?"

"You keep mentioning my looks; calling me beautiful," Luka accused.

"But that's because you are beautiful!" Miku explained. "I just want to make sure you know that I think so."

Luka's lips twisted, unsure. "Why?"

"Well, I want to give you a good first date so that we can go on another one."

"Date?" Luka repeated, crooking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we're on a date," Miku confirmed with a nod of the head.

"Oh, okay," Luka acknowledged. She was in the middle of chewing her next bite of cheeseburger when it hit her. "Date!?" she yelled, bits of food flying out of her slackening maw.

"You know, romantic intentions and all that. I think we'll make a good couple, Luka. I should probably wait until we're leaving but now seems like a good time to ask; want to go out again sometime?"

"A date!?" Luka repeated, even louder. Heads turned to the noise and she sunk in her seat. "We're both girls, Miku," Luka argued much quieter.

Miku starting laughing. A full, hearty laugh. Luka usually would have found it endearing if she wasn't in such a need for an explanation.

"Oh man, that was good," Miku said, rubbing a tear from her eyes. "You don't care if we're both girls."

"Why do you say that?" Luka pouted.

Miku smirked. "Weeelll, at the grocery store, that kid at the counter was eyeing your cleavage like a glass of water in the Sahara and you didn't even notice. In the parking lot, I snuck one measly look at your wonderful chest and you decided that your shirt's plunging neckline should be higher."

"That doesn't mean anything," Luka argued, feeling all at once relieved, elated, scared, and angry.

"Yes it does, you were paying attention to my body language. You're interested in me."

"Wow, confident assumption there."

"You think I'm gorgeous," Miku stated.

Luka shut her lips tight. She couldn't deny it, Miku was amazingly beautiful. Her slender features and unpronounced curves were the exact kind of things that caught her eye in magazines, on the streets, on television. Miku was her type…if she ever decided she wanted to pursue those kinds of feelings.

"If you're uncomfortable we could talk somewhere else, Luka. I know we haven't known each other long but I really like you and I want you to give dating me a shot."

Pursue it she didn't, but romance sure was doing a good job of kicking her doors in. Luka wanted to cheer, but her body wouldn't let her.

"To be honest with you, Miku, I'm a little shocked. I'm not saying no to anything but this is a lot to take in. Also, I _would_ like to go somewhere else because I can't believe you took me to a god damned McDonald's on our first date."

"Don't act like you don't love the fries here," Miku countered. "Anyways, that sounded like a yes to me."

"Yes to what?"

"Being my girlfriend."

"Hold on a minute!" Luka yelled, planting her hands firmly on the table. "I didn't agree to that."

Miku narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the woman across the table. A flash of teal as they shot open. "Luka, have you never dated anyone before?"

"O-of course I have!" she lied.

Miku gave her a very specific look, the kind that says 'seriously?' without having to open your mouth.

"Maybe I haven't," Luka corrected. "I mean, I turn down guys and, uh, nobody has ever noticed that I'm..."

"A homosexual?" Miku offered.

"Interested in members of the same sex sounds a bit better," Luka whispered.

Miku shrugged. "Sounds the same to me. I thought it was pretty obvious, but that might have just been me projecting. I was really _really_ hoping you were gay."

"I never said I was."

"You just did not even thirty seconds ago. Also, if you weren't gay, a woman as beautiful as you would be married by now."

"Now I feel old again," Luka complained.

"Then let me make you feel young," Miku pressed, reaching over and taking Luka's hands in her own.

The action was foreign and slightly uncomfortable to Luka, but it was enough. Enough to tease her about everything she has missed. The girl who felt like she's lived a long life already realized that she might have skipped over something important; the twenty-seven year old woman felt the touch of another in her hands and melted.

She was making a scene in a public place for the second time that day, openly weeping in the middle of a fast food restaurant while bystanders watched fascinated and Miku pulled her into an embrace she didn't know she needed. Luka nuzzled her tear stained face into Miku's shoulder, covering herself in the shroud of teal the twintails on her cheek seemed to create. Miku hugged her and rubbed her back gently, not moving any other part of her body until Luka took deep breaths and calmed herself down.

"Are you okay, Luka?"

Miku frowned as Luka's deep breaths quickly turned into light chuckling. "No, not really," she answered. She pulled herself up off of Miku's shoulder and directed her puffy red eyes right at Miku's wide and clear pair. "How could I ever be alright when you took me to a fucking McDonald's on our first date?"

Miku seemed to switch on like a spotlight, a contagious smile festering on her innocent young face. Without letting go of Luka she bounced forward but awkwardly stopped herself by pushing on Luka a bit. The taller girl pulled Miku closer to keep her balance and stop them from toppling over.

"Sorry," Miku apologized with a smile. Luka couldn't tell which of the few recent things she was apologizing for. Maybe all of them. "Come with me."

Miku pulled out of the mutual embrace and grabbed Luka's arm. The teacher managed to snap out of her stupor quick enough not to be pulled to the floor and jumped after the energetic girl, letting herself be whisked out the doors and to the back of the parking lot where her beat up old sedan was parked.

"What are you doing?" Luka asked, suddenly remembering the half eaten hamburger still on the table she realized she actually did care about.

"Hold still." Miku commanded and Luka obliged, even when those delicate features got really close to her own and she felt strange pressure on her face. A wet and light pressure. On her lips.

Oh.

_OH._

Before Luka had time to completely register it, the kiss was over and Miku was pulling her blushing face away from the horrified and dark red complexion of Luka Megurine. Miku bit her lip apprehensively.

"Was that bad?"

"NO." Luka yelled. "I mean, I uh, I-"

"Wish you could have been more ready and alert for your first kiss?"

"Actually, yes, that's-"and then Luka was even more mortified. She admitted it was her first kiss.

Miku shrugged and chuckled. "Don't feel bad, mine was stolen like that too. I'll just have to kiss you a bunch of times until you get used to it!"

"Wait, wha-"

And then she did.

* * *

><p>AN<p>

Hey, how you doing? Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this and I hope you're ready for more. This is going to be three parts with the possibility of more coming down the line. I wish I could tell you that feedback would make me want to write more but to be honest with you it would only happen if I feel like doing it.

That said, I would really enjoy hearing from people who read this. Drop me a PM or a review with your thoughts, I love criticism. Thank you!

PS: Yes, that was a shameless cameo of a character from another franchise in the beginning and there will be more as the story goes on. The most obvious one will be in chapter three...


	2. The Shuttered Doors of Luka's Closet

She woke up beaming and it showed. Her eyes shone, for once reflecting the ocean blue that God intended. Her long silky hair refrained from bunching up and sticking every which way from a night of tossing and turning. Her lips were full and smiling.

Her first girlfriend.

It had been about a month and a half since that improvised "date". Miku's company came in doses as prescribed, no more than four times a week, but Luka got her fix through wonderfully endless digital contact. Text messaging, social media, whatever, Miku's ear was always only a touch away from Luka's lips. Something both girls took great advantage of, Luka considered as she reached for her flashing phone on the nightstand.

_/Good morning, Goddess/_

Luka rolled her eyes with all the effort of pushing a boulder up an incline. She couldn't suppress her girlish giggle. Thank God it was the summer or else her students might have caught on to her change in attitude. Then, maybe, a fellow teacher would notice and they would accurately guess that it was a change in relationship status what wrought the sudden cutesy virus in the usually mature and professional Luka. From there, the school would want to know who it is for safety and logistics reasons or something and she would have to say she's dating a girl and then from there...

_/Do you call all the girls that?/_ Megurine-Sensei quickly texted back, considering how a Han Solo or a Malcolm Reynolds would have responded. She pumped her clenched fist in victory. She was so damn good at flirting.

_/Nah, only the ones that want to have sex with me./_

Damn you, Miku. Damn you to hell. That did it; Luka would be unable to leave the house for a while. It wasn't like she had anything against the idea of having sex with her girlfriend, she was just afraid that if they went into that too quickly it might become the focal point of the relationship. Sure, maybe she wasn't ever actually _in_ a relationship but books were knowledge and she had read more than a few dealing with that same subject. Luka and Miku wanted more from each other than their bodies today and her dream for the immediate future was an infinite tomorrow of the exact same thing.

_/Fuck you, I'm taking a shower./_ A pause in the flow, Luka was ready to claim absolute victory with a hyena's cackle.

_/Anytime, baby ;)/_ and a...picture message? A flick of her thumb and it was downloading. A moment later and her widening eyes were treated to...a treat.

There was her Miku, just as pretty as she was on that day three weeks ago. A teal eyebrow raised seductively as wonderfully symmetrical teal eyes winked at her through the screen. Her cute full bottom lip bit firmly by some pearl white teeth and that amazing long hair showering around her on the bed. What brought the heat to Luka's reddening cheeks was the conspicuous lack of pajamas in the scene. The Miku in the picture was wearing a frilly bra and tiny lace panties in a matching pink colour intrinsically familiar to the teacher. Well, wearing wouldn't be the most proper term since the bra was clearly undone and hanging loosely on the smaller girl's unblemished shoulders, teasing Luka with a tantalising view of that deliciously modest cleavage. One hand was holding the camera but Miku's other hand was hiding from view, attached to the arm that snaked its way down her body, pushing her breasts together but not hiding her flat tummy and navel, the wrist disappearing into the waistline of those tiny pink panties.

She stared, her eyes scorching every centimetre of the image searching for some unknown quantity that her brain could not seem to process. It's like finding Waldo, Luka thought. Some sort of weird erotic Waldo that was impossible to win but impossible to lose as a by-product of the circumstances.

_/Now I reaaaaally need a shower./_ Luka gave up, it was impossible to top that.

_/Thinking of you, Sweetheart. Think of me too./ _Miku texted back.

Luka took a quick look around as if to check if the coast was clear in her own bedroom before leaning in and giving the screen of her phone a loving kiss. _/I usually am./_

_/Me too :)/_ A pause.

_/But y'know, I was suggesting that you should masturbate./_ Miku added.

With a frustrated huff, Luka pushed herself out of bed and dragged her well-rested feet to the adjoining bathroom. She stopped in front of the tall mirror on the door and admired herself. For once, she really did look great right after waking up. A glance at the phone in her hand elicited a shrug from groggy shoulders.

"No shame in showing off," she told herself, pulling up on her flimsy white tank top and pulling down on her tight yellow short shorts. She could find comfort in the fact that unlike a certain teal-haired fox she was at least wearing pajamas.

Luka arched her back, bent a leg, and popped her butt out, improvising a quick sexy pose. She made sure to smile the way Miku told her she looks best and snapped a quick picture with her phone. A few seconds later and it was on Facebook with the catch-all-jealousy headline of "Look what just dragged herself out of bed!" If Miku was going to give her...material, it was only proper for Luka to return the favour. Making it a public display was a great way to gain some ground on their little teasing game again.

She threw her phone towards her bed, cringing when she completely missed the soft cushions, and entered the bathroom while shedding clothes. She set the shower cold. She had enough heat this morning. The icy stinging droplets pelted her body and woke her from the dreaded morning daze. Her hair might have looked good, but it never felt good until it was thoroughly washed out and dried. One of her students once asked, "Miss Megurine, how does your hair always look so pretty?" Luka shrugged and winked before answering, "Long showers and genetics." As she squeezed a dollop of imported 'Genetics' shampoo onto her palm, the teacher reflected that just maybe she was a bit too much of an asshole that day. The shampoo took on a whole new level of importance recently though; it was the same one Miku used. Luka smelt it on her girlfriend once when they were making o-...cuddling non-sexually. The oaky, soapy smell of the Australian fluid brought memories of warm embraces and teal kisses. What a fantastic coincidence since smelling her own hair was much less weird and pathetic than say, stealing a pair of Miku's panties.

…

Which she totally wasn't going to do.

Luka shook her head violently and turned off the water. Twenty-seven years old and acting like one of the poor doomed teenagers with a crush on her in class. Luka's rational side warned her it was just that, a crush on the one girl who could see through her and get down to the heart. The one girl who not only could see Luka for who she was, something she had never told anybody, but accepted and reciprocated. Whatever the hell Luka's other side was, it wasn't rational, and it told her she had fallen in love.

It was Saturday and she still had one Miku day left. She was going to save it for a barbeque dinner tomorrow but this morning had been too much. She needed to see her now. Probably exactly what "Weekender Girl" had planned, that devious, cunning, loveable, sexy bitch. A towel carefully wrapped her pink tresses up to dry and she went looking for her phone. It was just in front of the bed, not two inches from her intended throwing target. She sighed and picked it up, thankful for a lack of damages, and prepared to text Miku a warning that she was coming over. She was stopped by a list of notifications.

**Three people commented on your photo!**

** Eight people like your photo!**

"Wow, it's been like fifteen minutes," Luka mused, amusedly thumbing her way to the picture on her page.

_Matsuda Lily: SO JEALOUS! Why are you so pretty!?_

_ Kamui Gackupo: What a beautiful girl! Now when are you finally going to go out with me? ;)_

Luka rolled her eyes. She actually liked the guy, he was nice enough and he hung around with her usual crew too much for him to not be considered a friend. He wouldn't take no for an answer though and it was getting really hard to reject him without hurting his feelings while refraining from informing him that, yes, she does bat for the other team as he so eloquently put it once (jokingly of course, because how could a girl as normal as Luka like other girls, right!?). Maybe she should hold Miku's hand or something subtle like that when she introduced her to her friends. Or maybe not.

Speaking of mischievous teal fairies, the one and only commented as well. Her little icon picture, winking at the camera so cutely, distracted Luka for a few seconds before she cleared her throat and read what was sure to be a simple, in-joke, coded innuendo out loud.

"Absolutely killer legs, baby," Luka read, a frown forming. "What time do they open?"

...

She hovered her thumb over the erase button and hesitated only a second before deleting the comment. Who knows how many people had seen it? Gackupo and Lily for sure, maybe all five of the other people who liked it, in the worst case possibly her parents...

Oh God.

_/I'm coming over./_ Luka texted as quickly as she could.

_/Wow, this early? You naughty, naughty girl.../_

Luka huffed. _/We need to talk about something serious./_

_/...What is it?/_

_/I'll be over in half an hour./_

* * *

><p>The short walk to Miku's apartment never felt so long. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but it was probably the heels she elected to wear. They were new, they were pink, they went so unbelievably well with her green sundress, and Miku would adore them. Only one of those reasons would have been enough to make the pain worth it. She straightened her dress, stood up tall, and gingerly knocked on the door.<p>

Immediately the door flung inward and a loud ball of heavy teal was flying into her arms.

"Please don't break up with me, Luka!" Miku sobbed. "Please!"

Luka's brow crinkled. "What?" She felt her heart rate jump as her girlfriend's tears rained straight from those big eyes onto Luka's uncovered shoulder.

"Just give me another chance! I'm so sorry!"

"Miku, wha-"

"I know it hasn't been long," Miku interrupted in a fit of screaming delirium, "And maybe you don't like me anymore, but I love you, Luka! I'll change! Please just don't break up with me!"

"Miku, stop!" Luka grabbed a handful of long teal hair and tugged tightly, bringing puffy, red, tear-stained eyes to meet darkening blue ones. "I'm not breaking up with you! I just wanted to talk!"

"Oh," Miku choked out. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Luka assured before running her hands soothingly through her girlfriend's hair. "I couldn't break up with you, you're too cute."

"G-good," Miku coughed. She brought a hand up to wipe her eyes and slowly stepped out of the forced embrace. "You deleted my Facebook comment though..."

"Yeah, that's what we have to talk about," Luka answered, scratching behind her ear and tapping a heel. "Can I come in? And maybe have a glass of water?"

"Yeah, okay," Miku agreed, ushering her guest through the entryway. She directed Luka to the couch and went to the kitchen. After a quick survey of the exceedingly clean room, the teacher was troubled to see a bottle of vodka and a shot glass on the coffee table next to the spattering of TV remotes that nobody ever seems to use.

"Sorry about that," Miku apologized as she brought two glasses of water to the living room, her voice much clearer. "It's just that this relationship means a lot to me and-" Luka silenced her with a wave of her hand.

"It means a lot to me too. A whole hell of a lot, and that's why we need to talk."

"Okay." Miku sat down, took a large gulp of water, and splayed her legs out to get comfy.

Luka took a hesitant sip and tapped her heels, very carefully considering her words. "Okay, don't say anything until I'm done explaining." Miku nodded enthusiastically. "I don't want to tell anyone about our relationship." Miku opened her mouth but shut it quick when Luka shot her a raised eyebrow. "Now, I'm not sure what your whole situation is, but for me, umm, nobody knows that...that I'm..."

"Gay?" Miku offered while tilting her head.

"Sure, yeah, let's use that word. Anyways, I've never really told anybody that I'm...gay...before. Ever."

"Nobody?" Miku asked."Not even your best friends? Your parents?" Luka shook her head awkwardly. "Why?"

"I guess I just never had a reason to," Luka lied with a shrug.

"You're twenty-seven years old and you never had a reason to tell anyone you're a homosexual?" Miku asked. Luka shifted her eyes to search for something, anything. They found the bottle of vodka on the table.

"Why were you drinking!" she blurted out, standing and pointing at the uncapped liquor.

"That isn't what we're talking about, you liar," Miku dismissed. Her posture was perfect, her eyes unwavering and demanding. Her alluring smile almost completely hid the annoyance beneath the calm composure. A recently manicured teal finger nail pointed to the seat next to her. "Anyways, it isn't every day your girlfriend comes over unannounced to talk about something 'serious'. Pop a squat before the weight of your nose topples you over, Pinocchio. Tell me what the real reason is."

Luka sighed and ran a hand through her thick hair. "I don't think I want to talk about it right now, Miku. Is that okay with you?"

The smaller woman chewed her tongue and narrowed her eyes. Luka watched Miku as her brain worked, figuring it was only a matter of seconds until her first relationship exploded into a meteor shower of trust issues and secretive dealings. Next thing Luka knew Miku would find herself a mistress, probably one who put out, maybe even one with some sort of trampy nipple piercing or erotic tattoo. The kind of girl who would corrupt a sweet goddess and steal her from her destined love. Wait, destined love...

She shook out of her thoughts to find her girlfriend holding out her hand in offering, begging for her to take it. Luka obliged and took the seat offered earlier. She pulled the hand closer and placed it over her heart.

"Thank you, Miku."

"You can take your time," Miku assured. "You have to promise me that the day you're ready you will tell me everything though."

"Of course."

"Aaaaaand, you have to tell someone." Miku added with a grin. "Someone important to you. Your parents or your friends, someone like that."

"I, uh, don't think I can agree to that," Luka whispered but when she felt Miku start to pull her hand away from her heart she grabbed it and forced it back into place."Okay. We'll tell my friends when I introduce you to them."

"Soon," Miku forced. "Tonight."

Luka rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Good!" Miku cheered. "I'm excited to meet your friends, Luuuuuuka! Also, before you let go..." Miku clenched the fingers of the hand Luka was holding to her, rather impressively taking her entire left breast in her palm, contorting it to fit in her small palms with a vice-like grip. Luka froze as Miku began alternating pressure, completely and totally molesting her as she had never been touched before

"Soft..."

"What the fuck!" Luka screamed. She made no attempt to move away. "We were having a moment!"

"Oh, trust me," Miku purred. She licked her lips. "I'm still having a moment. A moment I'll treasure."

Luka chuckled, pulled Miku's hand from her breast and wrapped it around her waist as she shimmied closer for a hug. When their arms were firmly secured around backs and Luka was sure no shenanigans were to come she hesitantly lifted her head to the side of Miku's.

"I'm pretty sure I love you too," she whispered into an ear cloaked with teal hair.

The nervous, excited, confused look that dominated Miku's features satisfied Luka like nothing had in as long as she could remember. The clear, wide eyes, the quivering lower lip, the heavy blush on her cheeks; all signs pointing to one thing: Luka had won the game.

* * *

><p>"Are you scared?"<p>

"Of course I'm fucking scared," Luka snapped. "You're throwing me a damned coming out party!"

Miku frowned. "Y'know, for being a teacher, you swear a lot."

"I only swear when I'm angry," Luka growled. She clacked her heels, regretting her decision to keep the same outfit on as she did earlier. She was sweatier than before, not that anyone would ever notice. Her make-up wasn't as perfect as she'd like it to be for such a big occasion even though Miku touched it up and assured her she looked 'good enough to eat, or at least lick'. Her sundress was fine and was appropriate enough for a semi-casual setting but she would tell you that Miku made her feel like a wash woman.

Miku had decided to match her green with a cocktail dress that she 'never got to wear since it was designed to be worn on the floor and she's an honest woman'. It was slim, short, and sexy with a strapless low neckline and a skirt that finished mid-thigh. The green was darker than that of Luka's dress which only made the tealette stand out more. Her twintails were tied with pink butterfly clips to match her pink nail polish and pink heels. Luka said they shouldn't wear the same colour but Miku insisted it was cute for a couple. That was when she offered Luka a teal butterfly clip to match the pink ones, which Miku insisted on using to tie a ponytail into Luka's meticulously straightened hair. All in all, with how much she got shown up and the unfamiliar pain of a clip tugging her hair back she figured she had enough of a reason to be mad.

However, it was impossible to deny that they looked fantastic together with their coordinated outfits and held hands. In the reflection of the glass door to Luka and her friend's usual hangout they looked like either the cutest couple in town or the cutest best friends in town, depending on how progressive you are.

"You swear when you're aroused too," Miku added with a wink. She made Luka yelp with a quick swat on the butt. "So now you can blame the swearing on that instead!"

"I hate you sometimes," Luka grumbled, squeezing her girlfriend's hand tighter.

"You love me the rest of the time, you said so," Miku teased. "Right?"

Luka nodded and let go of her hand to reach for the door. "Absolutely."

A steady push and Luka was inside a place that was almost as comfortable to her as her own home. Today it felt like she was going to a funeral.

"Hey, Luka!" she instinctively turned to the sound and saw Lily waving enthusiastically from their usual table in the back. Gumi was in the booth next to Lily smiling warmly at Luka and across was Gackupo with his usual slack posture, arm over the seat intended for her, shooting her a thumbs up and a grin. She managed not to roll her eyes.

To her surprise, Miku stepped out in front of her and started for the table. Staring at the mesmerizing motions of her backside in that dress made Luka remember what was supposed to go down tonight and she almost lost her lunch. She hurriedly walked behind her girlfriend, ignoring the hand subtly offered out behind her. They reached the table and Miku stopped and smiled brightly. Luka stared dumbly from her completely unknowing friends to her much-too-eager significant other until Gumi cleared her throat.

"Oh!" Luka gasped in a choked, throaty voice. Miku gave her an odd look as she coughed. "Guys, this is my...uh, I mean this is Miku. Miku, meet Lily," the blonde woman threw her arms in the air and winked, "Gumi," the green haired girl pointed to herself, "and Gackupo." The purple haired man ran a hand through his hair while flexing. Luka actually did roll her eyes this time.

"Nice to meet you all!" Miku greeted. "I'm Hatsune Miku and I hope we can be friends!"

"Nice to meet you too! Is that a Japanese name? Oh man, better hide from King Weaboo," Lily warned. She crooked a thumb to Gackupo. "The poor delusional fool thinks he's a samurai or something."

"I am a samurai, Lily. I have training from very legitimate books. More importantly, my God, Luka, where did you find this angel?" Gackupo cheered. To the embarrassment of everyone he stood up and bowed with both of his hands clasped in front of him. "Conichiwa, Miku-Chan. Gackupo desu. Want to go out sometime?"

Miku grinned. "No, not at all. Also, don't embarrass yourself like that ever again please."

Lily and Gumi erupted into laughter, even panic-stricken Luka managed a chuckle and Gackupo dejectedly sat back down.

"I like her already," Gumi asserted. "Take a seat, any friend of Luka is a friend of mine, especially one who turns down that clown so effectively."

"I am a dignified gentleman!"Gackupo defended, puffing out his chest. "Besides, I only really have eyes for my beautiful Luka."

"Is that so?" Miku asked, sitting down and pulling Luka down with her, making sure to get in-between her girlfriend and the man. "Do you try to impress her with Japanese learned from anime as well?"

"Actually, he does," Lily spoke for him. "And speaking of her, what's up Lu? Why the doom and gloom, you look like you're going through cramps."

"I'm okay," Luka lied."I'm just nervous about you guys meeting my...friend."

"No need to be nervous, I think I can speak for the three of us when I say she made a good impression, no don't give me that look Gackupo. I do have to agree with you on something though, player, she is a cutie! Where did you get that beautiful dress?"

"Bargain sale at a local mom and pop store," Miku explained. "I'll have to tell you where it is. While we're on the topic, I adore your hair Gumi! Those goggles look cool."

"Enh, you'll get tired of them," Gumi shrugged. "I wear them every day. They aren't unique and beautiful like those butterflies. They look amazing in both of your hair, and how did you get Luka to put it up? I don't think she's ever done that."

Miku shot Luka a raised eyebrow that she was way too nervous to shrug off. "They match so well," Lily added. "You two look so cute together!"

"We do, don't we?" Miku agreed, locking her arm around Luka's.

"Ha, Luka is blushing like a deflowered virgin! She must really like you if she let you change her hair," Gackupo said. "She actually punched me when I bought her a hairclip once."

"It wasn't a hairclip," Luka countered, momentarily broken out of the circle of terror. "It was a set of chopsticks you goof."

"Hey, those are stylish!" Gackupo argued. "Miku would look good in them."

"I do," Miku confirmed.

"You do?" Luka repeated, wide eyed.

"Yeah, I wear them every once in a while. I'll show you some time soon," Winking Miku promised.

"I would like that," Luka smiled.

Lily and Gumi shared dubious looks with each other at this exchange while Gackupo mumbled about how right he was. There was a very noticeable blush on Luka's porcelain cheeks, the kind of blush Gumi and Lily had never before seen on their long-time friend. The tall blonde girl put both hands solidly on the table and leaned forward with a frown.

"Miku, in the many years I've known her I have never seen Luka talk like that to anyone. Ever. Answer me honestly and I won't hold anything against you. Is she drugged?" Lily accused.

"What!? I'm not drugged!" Luka defended, squeezing Miku's arm tighter.

"The question is for Miku, not-Luka!" Lily pushed. Luka furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak again but Miku pinched her arm.

"I would never do anything like that, I promise," Miku offered to her accuser, stone faced.

"The truth is!" Luka started in an attempt to save the situation, speaking much louder than intended. People from nearby tables turned to the source and she sunk into the booth a little. She tried again, much quieter. "The truth is, I have to talk to you guys about something really important tonight."

"Oh, okay," Gumi said leaning back and patting Lily's agitated shoulders. "That explains your jitters. What's up?"

"It's...really hard to say to you all."

"Luka, you can tell us anything," Gackupo comforted. "We're your best friends."

"I know, so, uh, Miku. Yes, Miku," Luka stuttered, Miku pointed at herself demonstratively with a smile. "Yeah, her. Well, Miku is umm, she's a good friend you know. I guess you could say a special friend." Luka fidgeted and looked down.

"That's nice," Lily commented still visibly a bit concerned. Her expression relaxed into a warm smile. "No need to get worked up about telling us. We won't get jealous. Maybe Miku can be our special friends too!"

Luka's arm was squeezed hard, a sign that Miku was trying not to laugh. Luka stepped on her foot. "No, uh, you could say Miku is a very special friend to me..." The trio of friends were visibly confused, begging an explanation. Luka sighed. "So, yeah, we were at the grocery store and-"

"I think what Luka is trying to say is," Miku interrupted, putting her other hand over Luka's trembling one. "We're dykes!"

Silence.

"Wait, what?" Gackupo balked.

"Miku and I are...in a relationship!" Luka blurted.

Lily laughed. Miku glared at her while Gumi's brow crinkled and Gackupo was slack jawed. Gumi elbowed the blonde gently. She shoved her away and giggled for a few more agonizing seconds while everyone else just stared at the couple wide-eyed.

"Well, that was a good laugh guys," Lily thanked. "I wasn't expecting that."

"They never are," Miku whispered loud enough for only Luka to hear. Then she grabbed her girlfriend by the back of the head and pulled. Luka couldn't really register what was happening until the kiss was over and the only recognizable thing in the moment was the intense burn of the strongest blush she had ever experienced.

"Holy shit that was hot," Gackupo observed. "Do it again!"

"Gladly," Miku purred as she leaned in once again. This time Luka was aware and she managed to close her eyes only to immediately shoot them back open when a tongue was forcing its way into her mouth. When you're this far down the rabbit hole there is nowhere else to go, so Luka pressed her body to Miku's and kissed back.

"Okay, I got my camera ready this time," Gackupo said. "Do it again! If it keeps escalating they might start undressing! Ow! What the hell, Gumi?"

"Alright," Gumi nervously coughed, leaning back into her spot on the booth and shaking her knuckles out. "So I guess this is for real."

"Wow, uh, Luka," Lily said, tapping the table. "Who would've guessed?"

"It does explain her apparent asexual behaviour," Gumi reasoned.

"It explains why I haven't been able to sleep with her," Gackupo added.

"Oh, I'm sure _that_ was for more reasons than lesbianism," Lily burned. Nobody laughed or even acknowledged the comment, the air getting warmer and staler by the second. Luka had to force an opening in the atmosphere before it suffocated her.

"Do any of you have, uh," Luka felt Miku's fingers entwine with hers and some of her strength returned. "Does anyone have a problem with...how I am?"

"Hell no."

"No way."

"I'm gay too."

Everybody turned to Gackupo.

"Just kidding. No big deal, but you could have told us earlier."

"Yeah, really," Lily agreed. "Is this a recent discovery?"

"To be honest, no," Luka admitted. "I've just been waiting for the right woman."

"Awwww!" Lily and Gumi obnoxiously cooed.

"Shut up!" Luka weakly defended. Miku squeezed her hand under the table. She was embarrassed, slightly angry, and very tired but Luka felt more accomplished than she had in a very long time. Basking in the light feeling of getting something off her chest was so intoxicating for her, she uncharacteristically didn't notice the waiter approaching their table.

"Are you all finished with the p.d.a?" the new voice asked, startling everyone from their thoughts. A man not much taller than Luka with grey-tinged pinecone-brown hair and a purple serving apron was standing next to their booth, pen at the ready on a pad of paper. "We do serve food and drinks here if you're tired of making out in my bar."

"Our bar!" another voice yelled from across the room. A middle-aged woman with shoulder length platinum blonde hair tied back in a small ponytail.

"Ka-krssh!" Lily teased, making a whipping motion with her hand. "Does that domineering attitude carry itself into the bedroom too, Hank?"

The server rolled his eyes and started scribbling on his pad of paper. "I'll get your usual, Lily."

"If you ever get tired of being tied down I'd be happy to let you punish me," Lily purred, licking her lips.

"Hey!" Gumi pouted. "We have a deal that I get first crack at Hank when he divorces!"

"_When_?" Hank mocked.

"One day you'll want to trade in for a new model. I dream of that day," Gumi moaned. "As for my order, hmmm...I'll have a sex on the beach with extra sex."

"Alright, but we might be all out of sex," Hank sighed as he marked it down. "Gackupo?"

"How do you do it!?" the younger man screamed. "Women crawl miles to get to you! I want to be you! I want to live your life!"

Hank shrugged. "They're just teasing me."

"I'm not teasing," Lily and Gumi both answered simultaneously, very seriously. Hank rolled his eyes, Gackupo hung his head.

"I don't want a drink, Sir," the admirer asserted. "I want to be your student. Teach me your secrets!"

"No drink? Alright then," Hank continued, ignoring Gackupo's panicked motions for attention. "Luka? Are you going to introduce your girlfriend?"

"You aren't surprised?" Luka mumbled. "That I'm, uh, that I'm-"

"A dyke?" Miku offered.

"Stop using that word!" Luka scolded, slapping Miku's exposed thigh. "But, yes. That I'm...not straight."

Hank shook his head and crooked a thumb to the woman across the restaurant. "We think we knew."

"Pardon?" Luka choked.

"My wife always wondered why a pretty girl like you never came here with a man on a leash. This was our only explanation."

"Oh." Luka sunk a bit in her seat. If a couple people she talked to for maybe twenty minutes a week for the past couple years were able to figure it out, who else might have? Luka ran over names of people she knew in her head, silently check-marking everyone who might suspect her to be gay. At the eleventh person and eleventh checkmark-

"What is that accent?" Miku asked, effective pulling the conversation away from her flustered girlfriend. "Russian?"

"Norwegian," Hank corrected. "Common mistake."

Miku shrugged. "I've been called a chink enough in my life to know what that's like."

"What!?" Luka spat. "Who called you that?"

"Awww, look how worried she is!" Lily teased. "You two are fucking cute."

"Cute enough to order a drink?" Hank asked again.

"Don't be a douche, Hank. I might have to spank you," Gumi warned. She waggled her eyebrows, her red goggles comically bobbing with her green hair. An ice cube seemingly flew out of nowhere and hit her square in the forehead. "Ow!"

"Flirting is fine, touching costs extra!" the blonde woman across the restaurant yelled, another ice cube at the ready.

"Fine!" Gumi huffed.

Hank smiled at Gumi's crossed arms and crouched down to Luka's ear. "Don't be embarrassed about it." She turned to face him; he put a hand on her shoulder. "When me and my wife lived in Europe nobody cared who you loved. That was over fifteen years ago and this country is starting to be the same way."

"Thank you," Luka offered, still not feeling any less embarrassed. She never really considered that by hiding her sexuality she might be revealing it. It was an unsettling thought. A large male arm working its way over her and Miku's shoulders snapped the woman out of her thoughts.

"How about I buy your girlfriend a drink, Luka?" Gackupo offered.

"It's not going to get you in my pants, you know," Miku deadpanned. Lily and Gumi lost it again.

"Why does everybody think that's my only intention!?"

* * *

><p><em>One Month Later<em>

Sometimes one finds themselves stumbling into their home very late, at the time when nothing creeps besides cats and dreams. Exhausted from a long day at work, maybe, they struggle to make those last few steps into their beds and a few sweet hours of rest before waking up and going about the whole process once again. This is what usually happens on weekdays.

On this weekend, as Miku stumbled into her apartment clinging onto her girlfriend like it was the only thing she remembered how to do, she was drunk. Very drunk.

"I didn't know you could dance like that," Miku whispered as she kicked off her heels any which way by the door.

"I didn't know you had the tenacity to try fondling my ass in public," Luka deadpanned, carefully setting her own shoes by the door and tidying up Miku's.

"It isn't my fault! You were tempting me with all that swaying!" Miku whined. She brought her hand to her mouth to cover her yawn. "It also isn't my fault since your ass is so big."

"I'm going to let that one slide because you're drunk." Luka wrapped her arm around Miku's back and started to lead her to the bedroom. "You sure became comfortable with my friends fast. Only the third time you hang out with us and you've gotten very irresponsibly intoxicated."

"It's okay," Miku slurred. "I'm safe when I'm with you."

Luka smiled. "I would feel safe letting myself go like that if you were around."

"You shouldn't," Miku chuckled. "I would one hundred percent take advantage of your body."

Luka laughed as she reached her girlfriend's room and hugged her closer so that they could both fit through the door. "How do you stay so snappy even when you can barely walk?"

"I wasn't joking," Miku cooed, sliding her hand down from Luka's shoulder and running an index finger across her spine. The resulting shiver was more of a small tremor, probably registered on the Richter scale.

"Just get in your pajamas and go to bed," Luka commanded, gently setting Miku down on the black covers. Miku loved to touch and tease but today Luka had been exposed to way too much of it. She made a mental reminder to never let her tiny girlfriend drink this much ever again.

"But I need help," Miku pouted, holding her arms up uselessly. "I'm too dizzy to put on my pajamas by myself."

"No you aren't."

Miku shrugged. "Maybe not, but I know you very well. I know that you will not let me go to bed in my dress and if I wait long enough you'll forcibly change me, even if you have to do it blindfolded." Miku twisted around to show her back. "Now stop playing hard to get and help me strip."

"Fine, you win," Luka huffed. She tucked some stray locks of hair over her ear and reached a shaky hand for the zipper on Miku's dress. They had been dating for two and a half months now and had casually seen each other in their underwear or a bathing suit more times than Luka could remember but this was different to her. She had never removed Miku's clothes nor even seen Miku take them off herself. This was a new experience. She savoured the moment, pulling the zipper down very slowly, eyes greedily drinking in every new centimetre of bare back. She admired the creamy white skin returning her stare, not one spot of the arch of her girlfriend's spine hidden to Luka's wanting gaze.

_Wait._

"You aren't wearing a bra," Luka whispered.

"Surprise," Miku purred, leaning sensually until the warm skin of her back met Luka's body. "Now unwrap the rest of your present. I hope you like it."

Luka stood up abruptly causing Miku to fall back on the bed. She quickly padded over to the closet and pulled the door, hiding her blushing face in the assortment of clothes. "Where are your pajamas?" she asked rather loudly.

"I sleep naked," Miku answered. Like it's no big deal.

Luka crushed the urge to turn around. "Don't you get cold?"

"No, because I'm usually thinking about you." The bed springs creaked as Miku got up and Luka heard light footfalls approaching her from behind. Once again she refrained from turning around, afraid of what she would find.

"I'll take my own dress off if you're uncomfortable," Miku offered, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend in a hug.

"That isn't the part that's making me uncomfortable!" Luka snapped accidentally. She felt Miku's arms weaken around her stomach so she grabbed them and pulled her tighter. "Sorry, it's just...you know I've never done anything like this."

"Haven't you thought about it though? Didn't you mentally prepare yourself at least a little bit?"

Luka laughed. "Oh do I think about it. Often enough to make me disappointed in myself. You cannot leave my thoughts, even at the most inappropriate times."

"So what's the big deal?" Miku wondered. She moved her arms upwards and took Luka's breasts in her hands. "I can do this and you don't even flinch but you're afraid to see me naked. Did I do something wrong?"

"No! You're perfect. I'm just...I don't know."

"Luka, you're twenty-seven years old and you're acting like we're fourteen and about to do something we'll regret."

"You're argument would be stronger if you didn't smell like a rum factory," Luka deflected.

"C'mon, I'm only a little bit drunk," Miku whined. "No big deal, now face your fears!" Miku grabbed Luka's shoulders and turned her around forcefully. Luka shut her eyes tight, but not before catching a glimpse of a pale white body shrouded by teal twintails.

"You saw," Miku teased. Luka bit her bottom lip hard to try and steel her shaking nerves. Where she failed, Miku succeeded by taking her hand and interlocking their fingers.

"Don't be afraid, Sweetheart," the younger girl cooed, massaging Luka's white knuckles. She leaned forward and gave her unsuspecting girlfriend a light kiss on her lips. "Open your eyes, please."

"Are you only doing this because you're intoxicated?" Luka accused. "I don't want the first time I see you, uhm, naked, to be the by-product of a social lubricant."

"I have regular lubricants if you want to try them out."

"That's really not making me feel more comfortable," Luka mumbled, squeezing their held hands tighter.

Miku sighed. "Luka, do I seem drunk to you?"

She didn't. If it weren't for the smell and Luka being witness to her partying firsthand she never would have guessed that Miku had drank anything. "It doesn't matter if you seem drunk, you are drunk."

"What's so bad about that? It's not like I'll regret it tomorrow morning," Miku shrugged. Not that Luka could see, but she put the back of her hand to her forehead and acted faint. "Oh no, I had sex with my girlfriend, whom I love more than anything in the world, while under the influence of alcoholic beverages! Truly there is nothing left for my life!"

"...You love me more than anything in the world?"

Miku blushed deep red. Luka smiled and squeezed her hand so tight Miku was worried it might break.

"You really know how to make me feel great, you know? I wish I met you ten years ago so that I wouldn't have to feel so stupid for acting like a lovesick kid." Luka inhaled deeply, giving Miku's hand one last grip before letting go and opening her eyes. Miku watched with an intense joy as those beautiful deep blue orbs started warmly at her still blushing cheeks then widened immediately as they shifted downwards. Luka's mouth opened a little and a flush started creeping over her paled complexion.

Then there was a loud thud as she fainted.

* * *

><p>"I warned you."<p>

Miku tried to respond but the only thing that could come out of her mouth was another heave straight into the toilet.

"I'm not drunk," Luka drawled in a poor imitation of Miku's higher pitched voice. "I barely drank anything, how about I shove my tongue down your throat so you can taste my terrible alcohol breath!"

"Please," Miku pleaded, her voice hoarse and weak from retching, "Just shut u-" until she interrupted herself by throwing up yet again.

"To think you wanted to take my virginity this morning. How romantic would that be? Nothing like cleaning vomit out of your most intimate place, huh?"

"Are you fucking with me right now?" Miku spat. "At least you didn't have to drag your heavy ass into bed last night after fainting."

"Excuse me?" Luka asked. "My heavy ass?"

"Yeah, your heavy ass," Miku repeated. "I mean, there must be at least ten pounds in those huge tits of yours."

"Well maybe me and my huge tits will leave and let you deal with this yourself. It isn't heavy old Luka's fault that you drank yourself into submission." Luka grinned and allowed herself a triumphant chuckle.

Miku's rage was enough to temporarily calm her stomach. "Bitch, just be quiet and hold my hair!"

"Oww, you're mean when you're hung-over," Luka whined with a smirk. Feeling extra high and mighty, she let herself go and spanked her girlfriend. At the moment of contact, Miku hunched forward and emptied more of her stomach into the toilet. Luka cringed.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," Miku whispered, panting. "I kind of deserve this."

Luka stroked the long teal hair she was holding back affectionately. With a sigh she pressed her face into it and rubbed it all over her cheek. Sadly, it smelled like beer and sick. "I love you, Miku."

"Love you too." Miku turned around to smile but aborted the motion in favour of giving one last violent dry heave into the bowl.

* * *

><p><em>AN_

Hey, I'm glad to see such a positive response to the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one too and I really hope you enjoy the next one. If you love backstory then chapter three is for you.

Basically this whole chapter was written on a cruise in the beginning of August. If the prose is a bit different blame it on the Caribbean air.

Also, I think I might have just broken the boundaries of a T rated fic. If that is the case could someone warn me with a PM or something and I'll change the rating to reflect it. Thanks!

There is a lot I love in this chapter and a lot I really don't like. What did you think?


	3. Student to Teacher

_Just a warning, this is going to get emotionally dark. Also, long paragraphs._

* * *

><p>Luka tapped her fingers on the desk, trying to subvert the absolute boredom that was waiting for the bell to ring and signal the beginning of lunch. She looked at the clock for what felt like the thousandth time and saw it had only moved a couple centimetres. Still twenty minutes until this class was over. She sighed.<p>

She loved her job, but every once in a while you got one of those classes that made you remember all the people warning you not to become a teacher. In her six years of experience she had only come across three of those and this second period English one was the worst of the trio.

"Ms. Megurine!" a young boy yelled, raising his hand and pointing to the worksheet on his desk.

"Yes, Issei?" Luka sighed. This class was particularly bad because it seemed to have a disproportionate number of the pervy boys only found within the bowels of a high school. There is always one or two in a class but this room had six or seven of the most notorious perverts in school. Her only saving grace was that she also had some of the cutest girls to split the attentions of the men.

"How do you say, 'I want to fondle your breasts' in Shakespeare English?" the boy asked, high fiving a friend next to him.

Luka nodded slowly. "Hmm, good question. You would say it with a detention, a trip to the principal's office, and possibly a few years in jail if I decide to press charges," She answered.

"Wait, what?"

"Get out!" Luka yelled, pointing at the door. The boy stood up obediently and made his way for the exit as the whole class burst into laughter.

"Way to go, bro!" one of the other boys in the back called.

"Yeah, man, fool proof plan to win the heart of our beautiful Luka!" another boy chided.

"Damn it, Hal! I told you to never call me by my first name!" Luka scolded. "You can join your buddy in detention later."

"Aww what the fuck!? Only detention? Could you at least hit me a few times? Please?" Hal argued.

Luka rolled her eyes and looked at the clock again. Eighteen minutes until lunch.

"Whoah, who's the babe!" a boy near the window called, pointing outside. Luka imagined a ship capsizing as all the males in the classroom ran for the windows and peered out. Every girl in the room collectively sighed.

"Oh my God she is fine."

"I didn't know they made legs that long!"

"Why is she getting out of your car, Ms. Megurine?"

Luka's eyes shot from the clock to the gathering of curious boys who were now splitting attention between the woman outside and their teacher. _Oh no._

Luka walked over to the window and pushed some kids out of the way so she could see one of her nightmares (or dreams, depending on how full the classroom is) making her way to the front door. Miku was wearing a red miniskirt that barely went halfway down her thighs, a white tank top that thankfully was fairly covering, and a pair of matching red high-heeled shoes. Her teal eyes were hidden by a pair of large back sunglasses and her hair was tied in her usual twintails snapped in place with a pair of square plastic ties. The kids weren't wrong, she looked way too sexy to be entering a high school. The only thing holding back drool from Luka's mouth was the confusion of why she was here in the first place; a question answered by the bags of fast food in Miku's hands. Her girlfriend disappeared from sight as she entered the school.

"Do you know her, Ms. Megurine?" a girl asked. A few had gotten up to see the commotion when they noticed the unreadable expression on their teacher's face that festered when she looked outside.

"Yes," Luka answered simply.

"Can you introduce me to her?" Hal asked. Luka backhanded him with a loud crack. "YES! Do it again!"

Luka raised her hand, this time balling it into a fist, but the opening of the door stopped her from decking her student. Miku strut into the classroom nonchalantly as every sound silenced itself to listen to the click-clacking of high heels. The teacher's girlfriend closed the door behind herself, took off her sunglasses, and winked at the other woman in the room.

"What's up, Luka?"

Luka sighed and stepped forward to take her place next to the visitor. "Class, this is my...best friend, Hatsune Miku. You can call her Ms. Hatsune."

"Nice to meet you all!" Miku cheered, waving at the kids gathered by the window.

"Hello, Ms. Hatsune," the class answered. Some kids went back to their seats, some were still dumbstruck and couldn't move.

"So, what brings you here today, Miku?" Luka asked, beads of sweat forming on her forehead beneath her pink bangs.

"You forgot your lunch at home," Miku explained. She held up the bags of fast food. "I didn't want you to get hungry so I thought I would bring you lunch and we could eat together."

"How thoughtful of Ms. Hatsune!" a boy in the back yelled. Murmurs from the other kids agreed.

"Wait, Ms. Megurine?" a girl in the front of the class with pink pigtails asked shyly. Luka nodded at her with a smile. "H-how did she know you forgot your lunch? Uhm, and why was she driving your car?"

"Oh, we live together."

Silence.

_Oh no._

"Two ridiculously hot chicks living together?"

"I didn't think these kind of things actually happened!"

"Calm down, kids!" Luka yelled.

"M-MY DICK!" somebody screamed.

Chaos. The boys were huddled in groups doing who knows what and laughing with their perverted smiles, all pulling out their phones and snapping 'discreet' photos. Girls were whispering to each other, the collective sound of so many people trying to keep their voices down was deafening. One poor child had gone into some sort of shock, rocking back and forth holding his legs while blood streamed down his nose. Miku just stood proud at the front of the class, a cocky smirk staining her face.

Luka didn't know what to do. The weight of her embarrassment was crushing her windpipe, preventing her from screaming her way out of this. She could feel her authority as a teacher crumbling away, each scandalous whispered rumour a chisel chipping away at her carefully constructed persona. Her skirt felt tighter, her bra itched, and either her contact lenses stopped working or tears were welling in her eyes. She was fifteen again and everyone was laughing at her. Her hand clenched reflexively and she was sure she felt that bottle of pills within her grasp, half its contents spilling onto the floor, the other half worming their way down her throat. Her head spun and she closed her eyes. It was so damn hot in here. An unsteady hand reached up and scratched at her cheeks, trying to stop the running eyeliner from looking too bad while the other hand clawed at her shirt, trying to loosen a button or two and let some air in.

A third hand aggressively grabbed her lower back. Luka looked over, still wiping away tears and found Miku's teal eyes filled with concern. Her eternal smile had morphed into a frown. Luka didn't want her to frown. The hand on her back started to move in slow, comforting circles and it pulled Luka back in. She wasn't fifteen anymore and she had no reason to feel so weak. She was twenty-seven goddamned years old and she would act like it. She would never go that far down again, nothing would ever be bad enough to justify that. This was just a rowdy classroom, something she dealt with every single day.

Luka straightened her skirt, wiped the last tears out of her eyes and stood tall. Taking in a deep breath she held her hand up.

"Calm do-"

_RINGRINGRINGRINGRINGRING_

Lunch time. Luka put her hand down, deflated.

The students filed out of the room as quick as possible, some mouthing giddy goodbyes to their teacher and her 'best friend' on the way out.

"Goodbye, Miku!" Hal greeted, holding his arms out for a hug. "It was nice to meet you."

"Awww how cute," Miku observed, accepting his offer. Luka rolled her eyes as the teen grabbed and held Miku firmly, pressing her breasts against his chest.

"Careful, he might ask for your number," Luka warned.

"Nah, he's okay," Miku argued. "Besides, he won't try to make a play when he learns that I'm a lesbian."

"What!?" Hal yelled, pulling out of the hug. He looked frantically from a smiling Miku to a terrified Luka.

"Just kidding!" Miku cheered, flashing a thumbs up. "Now, go on. Don't think you'll get anything more than a hug."

"And don't forget about your detention later," Luka added, waggling her finger at him.

"I won't," Hal mumbled, still looking suspiciously from Miku to Luka. He backed his way out of the room and into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

Luka counted to five and when the door stayed still afterwards she slumped her shoulders and glanced at Miku who was, of course, smiling brightly.

"What the fuck was that?" Luka demanded, her mouth open slightly, her eyebrows creased with worry, and her hands held out in a pleading gesture. She looked quite flustered.

"What's wrong with visiting my hard working girlfriend and bringing her a nice lunch to enjoy together?" Miku countered innocently.

"It's a problem when nobody here knows I have a girlfriend, for the purposes of job security."

"That's so stupid," Miku argued. "It's the twenty-first century, Luka. Nobody will care if you're gay."

"Don't change the subject," Luka warned. "We've been dating for five months, why do you want to visit me at work _now_ all of a sudden?"

"Wellll," Miku drawled tapping a finger to her jaw. "I didn't have access to a car until recently, soooo..."

"So now that we're living together you're going to use my car to bother me at work?" Luka sighed.

"Hey, I'm not bothering you!" Miku argued. "I'm just showing my love for my one and only."

"Urrghh!" Luka slapped her hand on her desk and shook her head. "I love you too much to get mad at you. This is so frustrating."

"I think it's cute. Now how about we sit down and enjoy our lunch? But first..." Miku stood on her tiptoes to reach Luka's height and puckered her lips.

"...What are you doing?"

"I want a kiss as a reward for bringing you lunch."

"No," Luka denied. "Not at school."

"Okay then," Miku purred. "If you won't give me a kiss I'll just have to steal one!"

"Wait, wha-mmrrhhh!"

_Click._ The sound of the door handle being pulled.

"Hey, Luka," a man's voice greeted as he entered the classroom. His dark blue eyes dulled with confusion and he scratched his matching blue hair thoughtfully. Luka was sitting at her desk, both hands firmly on the top and very visible. Her eyes were wide open staring straight ahead and her face was flushed a deep red. Next to her was a very attractive young woman with long teal hair and eyes to match that were very interested in the ground. Her hands were linked together behind her back and she was clacking the floor with one of her high heels. Her face was also flushed, just not nearly as much as Luka's.

"Uh, am I interrupting something?"

"Actually, y-"

"Nope," Luka answered quickly, not moving to look at him and interrupting the other girl in the room. "We weren't doing anything, Kaito."

"Ah, okay," Kaito acknowledged awkwardly. "I don't think I know you, Miss...?"

"Hatsune," the younger girl answered with a smile. "Miku Hatsune, but you can call me Miku. Are you a friend of Luka's?"

"I guess you could say that," Kaito agreed, frowning. "I was wondering if Luka wanted to come and eat lunch with me, I was going out."

"Kaito, you know I like to eat lunch in the school," Luka said, finally turning to face the man. "I might actually accept your offer one of these days if you would just go get take out."

"I don't know, I was hoping that maybe we..." he trailed off when he noticed the bags of fast food already on Luka's desk. He looked from them to the new girl and back. Miku was smiling...arrogantly?

"Miku already brought me lunch," Luka explained with a small smile and understanding eyes. "Would you like to go get something then come eat with us?"

"No, it's alright," Kaito accepted dejectedly. "I'll come see you later then?"

"That would be okay."

"Alright, bye." he shut the door on his way out without looking back.

Miku stared at the door a few seconds, her cheeks puffed out. "That guy is in love with you, honey."

"I don't think it's that bad," Luka replied, cringing inwardly. "He just has a crush...that won't go away."

"I guess it's a good thing he didn't see us kissing," Miku shrugged. "Who knows what he would do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Miku smiled. "If I ever saw you with another woman I would probably go home and hang-"

"Don't finish that thought," Luka snapped. Her girlfriend recoiled. "It isn't funny." Luka was glaring daggers at her girlfriend and these daggers were long passed the point of just being sharp, Miku could feel them stabbing her heart already.

"Sorry," the offender offered weakly. She reached over and put her hand on top of Luka's, weaving their fingers together and squeezing lightly. After long hesitant moments Luka squeezed back and relaxed herself, sinking further into her chair and slackening her posture.

"I don't feel well, Miku," Luka sighed.

"Do you want me to take you home?"

Luka shook her head. "Let's just eat."

With another chair pulled up to the desk they did just that.

* * *

><p>"Miss Megurine?"<p>

Luka looked up from the papers on her desk to the student at the door. The pink haired student from earlier with the cute pig-tails. She couldn't help herself from looking up at the clock above the door as well. Five minutes until the busses left. Twenty minutes until she could go home.

"You're going to miss your bus, Madoka."

"I know," the girl answered shyly. She tapped the tips of her index fingers together. "I was hoping I could talk to you for a little while? Maybe help me with something?"

"Can it wait until class tomorrow?"

Madoka shook her head. "I would prefer to do this alone."

Luka opened one of her desk's drawers and put the papers inside. Grading would have to wait a while it seemed. She wheeled back from the desk a little and smiled warmly at her student."What's the problem?"

Madoka tentatively walked up to Luka's desk and reached into her book bag. After a bit of fiddling around in there she pulled out two small necklaces similar in size and shape. Both were tiny glass circles with a little dark spot inside. One necklace was purple, the other pink and they had something crudely carved on their surfaces.

"We made these in art class today and, well..." Madoka slowly brought the necklaces together and when they were within a few centimetres of each other they pushed away as if two different gusts of wind forced them apart and then held them in place. Luka watched the necklaces slowly stop wobbling and hold their position a good inch and a half way from each other.

"Magnets. Neat," the teacher offered. "I'm guessing that's not supposed to be what they do?"

Madoka shook her head roughly. "No. I, uhm, I think some boys switched one of my magnets on me when I wasn't looking."

"You want me to punish them? I'll gladly do it."

"No!" Madoka squeaked, shaking her hands. "It was just a prank, but...I was hoping to give this as a gift."

"Ah, so you want help fixing it?" Luka guessed. "Sure, I can go get the janitors to let me in the art room and we can get some supplies." Luka picked up the necklaces and tested them again, watching them split away from each other and never getting close enough to touch. "I love little science things like this. Two magnets of the same polarity can never be together. How fascinating."

"Two of the same can never be together?" Madoka said almost too quietly to hear.

"No, that's not what I said," Luka corrected, still playing around with the faulty necklaces. "I sai-" and then the light bulb went off. Luka's eyes widened and her heart subsequently stopped beating, sunk, and drowned. She looked up and saw Madoka staring at the ground, clawing the hem of her skirt, on the verge of tears. She looked at the necklaces, holding their place apart from each other. She looked closer at what was scratched into their faces. A tiny little H on the pink one, a tiny little M on the purple one. An image of a dark haired girl in one of her classes flashed through Luka's mind. The girl who was inseparable from the tiny girl standing in front of her.

"Oh God," Luka mouthed, her throat too dry to actually speak. She stared at the girl in front of her for a while, unsure of what to do. When she saw a silent tear streak down her young face a daring plan entered her head. A dangerous plan, but one she was sure she wouldn't regret.

Luka cleared her throat. "Madoka, can you hold on a moment? I just have to make a call."

Madoka wiped at her eyes and nodded confirmation. Luka pulled out her cell phone and shakily found the number she was looking for in her speed dial. She exhaled deeply and considered what she was doing. This girl in front of her was a stranger, who knew what would happen?

_No._

Luka knew what would happen. This girl was just like her. She clicked the speed dial and held the phone up to her ear.

"..."

"Hey, Miku." Madoka looked up at her teacher, a little curious. "I'm going to be a bit late at school today. I'm helping a student with something."

"..."

"Yes, wait for me for dinner."

"..."

"Miku!

"..."

Luka sighed and held the bridge of her nose. "Just wait to pick me up until I call you."

"..."

"I love you too, Sweetheart. Bye."

That felt good. Like a load let off her shoulders that she had been bearing for a really long time. When Luka looked back up she wasn't surprised to see Madoka's jaw practically on the floor.

"Y-you and Miss Hatsune...you-"

"As Miku loves to say," Luka started, throwing up her hands excitedly. "We're dykes!"

Madoka blushed and looked away. "I never would have guessed. You're both so...pretty."

"So?" Luka countered, digging deep into her wells of confidence to find the energy not to curl up into an embarrassed ball and die. "You're pretty too."

Madoka squeaked and slouched inwards. "H-how did you-"

"Those necklaces are making it obvious, dear. Now, let's stop all this craziness. If we make a big deal out of it ourselves we're only justifying the people who make a big deal out of it in society. Miku told me that."

Madoka opened her mouth but then shut it and nodded her head.

"Let's get down to it, then," Luka said. "Does she know?"

Madoka tilted her head and her lips twisted. "I don't know for sure, but...I think so." Luka waved her hand as if to say 'go on'. Madoka sighed. "Well, we've known each other for a few years now, ever since she moved here. I've been helping her with her heart medicine ever since the first day she got here and we were fast friends. We've always felt really deeply for each other but the past few months it's...escalated. Now we blush when we look at each other sometimes and we hold hands a lot more. When we bathe together it-"

"Hold up," Luka interrupted. "Bathe together? Is this what young girls do nowadays?"

"Uhm, you know, public pools and stuff," Madoka tried to explain. She coughed then added quietly, "It makes Homura feel really comfortable."

"Sure, so when did you realize you liked her romantically," Luka wondered, changing the topic before she blushed.

Madoka smiled. "It just happened. I woke up one day and realized that I wanted to be more than just her best friend. I wanted more out of our relationship."

Luka stopped herself from asking if it was just a sexual thing, knowing how offended she herself would be if anyone asked her that.

"How about you and Miku?" Madoka asked bouncily. "You seem really close. How did you get together?"

"I only met Miku last year. It just kind of happened. She asked me out and here we are."

Madoka frowned. "That's it? That's not very romantic."

"Hey! It was plenty romantic!" She refrained from mentioning McDonald's. "Besides, when you're old you'll know when a person is right for you a lot easier than when you're a kid. You don't need any of that fancy stuff to be courted."

"You aren't old, Miss Megurine," Madoka comforted. "I mean how old are you anyways, thirty?"

Luka grimaced. "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. So what are you going to do with the necklaces?"

Madoka looked down and grabbed her skirt again. "I was going to present them and then confess my feelings."

Luka smiled. "How cute. Wouldn't it be better for you to wear the purple one and her to wear the pink one though?"

"No, this way it's less suspicious."

Luka raised an eyebrow. "Being who you are is nothing to hide."

"The why doesn't anybody know you're a lesbian?"

"That's different," Luka defended weakly.

Madoka's face crinkled. "Miss Megurine...do you not like being how you are?"

The question hit her like a truck. It was something she used to ask herself a lot. Something she asked herself for over ten years.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Madoka," Luka began. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and relaxed in her chair, taking a deep breath. "I hated how I was. I hated the way I was ever since I was fifteen when I knew for sure that it wasn't just a childish phase. I hated how I couldn't be like the other girls and lust after boys. I hated how I had to hide how I was in fear of being ridiculed and abandoned by my friends. I hated that I couldn't feel normal. What I didn't realize until recently, Madoka, is that the way we are is normal. There is nothing wrong with who we are unless we make something wrong out of it. I figured this out last year when I finally met someone who made me feel normal just being myself. Someone who made me feel like a woman instead of a lesbian. I had to wait twenty seven years until I found my Miku, Madoka. You're lucky you didn't have to wait nearly as long for someone who makes you feel loved."

"When I look at you, I see myself twelve years ago. Things didn't work out well for me in high school and I'm not proud of many of those years between then and now. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did and feel sorry for yourself until someone puts you back together properly. I want you to have your love and enjoy it for as long as you can. I'm sure it's the same thing for Homura, the way she dotes on you. I'm going to help you fix that necklace, and then tomorrow I want to see the smile on your face of a girl who's experienced reciprocated love." The teacher smiled. "Trust me, I know what that looks like."

Madoka was stone, staring unmoving at her teacher. Luka exhaled very deeply, not feeling awkward at all. She didn't even flinch when a crying Madoka ragdolled into her outstretched arms. She hugged her and rubbed her back, feeling elatedly content.

"Thank you so much Miss Megurine," Madoka sobbed. "I promise I'll do my best."

The teacher smiled and apologized silently to the girl in her arms. Those words weren't really for Madoka, they were the exact words Luka needed to hear.

"Let's get your necklaces fixed."

* * *

><p>Luka put her fork down.<p>

"You're getting better at cooking."

"Oh, thanks," Miku drawled, rolling her eyes. "A girl loves to be told retroactively how bad her meals were."

"That isn't what I meant," Luka giggled. "I'm just saying that you're getting better."

"Glad that I can satisfy you, Mistress," Miku announced proudly. She bowed deeply, exaggeratedly, and stood up completely straight, holding an arm up as if there were a napkin draped on it. "Shall I do the dishes then run you a bath?"

"Hmm, I think I would like you to run me a bath first, then massage me while I'm in there."

"Wow, being your butler sounds like an awesome job."

"It's better than having no job."

Miku frowned.

"I'm just kidding," Luka teased. "I know you're trying to find one." She stopped herself from making a comment about how she should have kept her old one.

"It isn't like there is a huge market for political science graduates. I probably made a huge mistake in doing what I enjoyed," Miku conceded.

Luka shrugged. "Why don't you get your licence and come teach with me?"

Miku's eyes brightened. "I never thought of that. We could eat lunch together every day without turning heads, we could go on field trips with our classes, we could fool around in janitor's closets-"

"Forget that last one," Luka interrupted. "But seriously, Miku, think about it. You would be great with the kids."

"All those boys would have two sexy young teachers to fantasize about!" Miku cheered.

Luka rolled her eyes. "Two sexy young teachers who live together."

"Heh. Honestly, our life sounds like some sort of pornography."

Luka picked her napkin off the table and threw it at her girlfriend. She got up and walked out to the balcony, a teal-haired minx stalking the way behind her.

"I'm glad we went for the apartment with the balcony," Luka asserted, pulling the door open and stepping outside. The wind was nonexistent tonight, leaving only the stale warm air of an early fall day. "I always wished I had one in my old place."

"It really is a wonderful place," Miku agreed. "I could see us living here for a long while."

Luka nodded and smiled at the comforting aura she felt all around her. "We should have moved here months ago."

"Ha, as if!" Miku snorted. "Good Sister Luka still flinches when I cuddle her in bed, I'm surprised you were the one who suggested living in sin."

Luka blushed, despite her efforts to keep it down. "Shut up. Pretty girls like you are meant to be seen, not heard."

"Then what about beautiful girls like you?" Miku countered, smirking. "What are you meant for?"

Luka turned to her girlfriend and winked. "Enjoying the pretty girls."

Luka squeaked when Miku gave her a swat on the behind before stepping back into the apartment. "Take a seat, Lover, I'm getting us something to drink."

Luka did as she was told, pulling the two patio chairs right up close to each other and taking a seat in one. Miku came back shortly with two brown bottles in her hand. She handed Luka a beer and took a very long swig of her own. Luka watched her girlfriend's throat vibrate as the liquid was chugged very efficiently.

"That was pretty trashy," Luka observed with a twisted smile.

Miku shrugged. "You're the one who bought beer. If you didn't want me to drink you should have kept it out of the house."

"Fair enough." The girls clinked their bottles together in a silent toast and took a drink out of them.

"So, what held you up at school?" Miku asked, slouching in her chair. "Another guy confess to you?"

"Not this time," Luka answered, the sarcasm lost on her. "I was helping a female student with a relationship issue."

"Aww, how cute. Did you resolve it?"

"I hope so. I'll let you know tomorrow night." Luka sighed and looked out at the red light of the setting sun. She took a sip of beer, feeling completely relaxed. "I want to talk to you about something, Miku."

"If you're going to propose, the answer is no until I find a job," Miku pre-empted.

Luka raised an eyebrow. "You would say no if I proposed to you?"

"Yep, I want to help pay for the wedding," Miku explained.

"Huh, okay," Luka accepted. She took another, longer, sip of beer before continuing. "A long time ago you asked me a question I wouldn't answer."

"Why you didn't tell anyone you aren't heterosexual," Miku answered for her, voicing her question once again. Luka looked at her blankly. "What, you think I would forget? I still wonder that often."

"Oh," Luka replied, feeling a bit guilty. Miku reached over and took her hand, bringing it to the arm of the chair and holding it in her own.

"Don't worry about it," Miku cooed. "Are you ready to tell me?"

Luka nodded. "Just...stop me if you want me to explain anything more." Miku smiled and squeezed their hands together tighter. Luka inhaled.

"The first time I feel like I fell in love was when I was fifteen years old," she began. "It was my math teacher. She was a young woman, who I always called Miss Johns. I never once dared call her by her first name, Jennifer. I had trouble with math and she took extra time out of her day to tutor me. We would spend lunch together almost every day and sometimes we would stay after school too.

"I never had a romantic interest in boys when I was younger so it was no surprise when I realized I had a crush on Ms. Johns. I wasn't embarrassed or anything, at fifteen I understood homosexuality and that there were people like that out there. I never really considered myself one of them, but there I was." Luka stopped to take a sip of her drink, Miku followed suit. "I kept up the student-teacher relationship with Ms. Johns for a long time, becoming something of an assistant to her. The more time I spent with her, the more I liked her. She was kind, sweet, reserved, and very gorgeous. It was around the end of first semester that term, when I aced her math class and she hugged me excitedly, that I realized I had fallen in love with her. I never cared that she was a woman, or considered how socially acceptable my feelings were. She was around twenty-five and I was fifteen. It was a realistic possibility that we could get together after high school so I held on to hope. The only obstacle I saw in my way was that I was sure Ms. Johns was straight.

"Christmas break after that first semester changed my life. What are the odds of two closeted lesbians meeting each other and falling in love, Miku? Unbelievably low, right?" Miku opened her mouth as if to add something, but decided to stay quiet. "After that test Ms. Johns invited me over to her house to celebrate my good marks with a dinner. I was so excited, I was shaking every second from when she invited me to when I went over to her house. I had steeled myself. I was completely resolved to tell her my real feelings and confess my love. Even if she was straight she was sure to accept it when she saw just how strong my feelings were.

"I knock on the door and Ms. Johns opens up. She's dressed to the nines, Miku."

"'Dressed to the nines'?" Miku commented. "How old are you?"

Luka grimaced and tucked some hair over her ear. She looked out to the sunset dreamily. "It was the most beautiful I've ever seen her. All of a sudden my heart is beating its way into my digestive tract and my brain is firing off all sorts of theories about why. She hugs me and welcomes me inside, leading me to the dinner table. My face probably paled a bit because standing next to the table was another beautiful woman looking very shy and scared. She was also dressed up. I thought I was having a heart attack. Ms. Johns walked over to the woman, took her hand in her own and introduced her as her girlfriend." Miku spat out the sip of beer she was attempting to swallow. Luka smiled sadly. "I can't remember right after that but I guess I fainted. I woke up a few minutes later on Ms. Johns' couch, a wet rag on my forehead. She was crying and it took everything I had to apologize properly without crying myself. She said that she thought I fainted from disgust. I...I told her there was nothing wrong with who she liked and I would never judge her. The sobbing hug I received was the most bittersweet thing I've ever experienced. She trusted me with her greatest secret, said I was the person she trusted the most to know. I was loved by her, just not in the way I wanted to be.

"I found out the woman I loved was like me, there was a chance. I also found out that the chance was taken away from me before I even had an opportunity to act on it. It hurt. Bad. Not long after that my parents took me to the doctor and assigned me some anti-depressant medication. It worked for the most part, dulling the pain in my heart. I still held up my relationship with Ms. Johns; I didn't have it in me to let her go even if she would never actually be mine. I couldn't stop loving her, though I knew she was happily in love with somebody else. I didn't have it in me to hate her girlfriend for unknowingly crushing my dreams, she was a nice person." Luka frowned when she realized that she couldn't remember the other woman's name. She shook her head and continued. "I kept it all up, spending hurtful moments with my crush at school then calming my emotions with meds when I got home.

"It lasted for two months like that until Ms. Johns had a chat with the principle. She told him that she was homosexual and had a partner. She wanted to tell people really badly even though her girlfriend was afraid. She told me that she wanted her relationship to be a normal one. The school was fine with it, even though some teachers were prone to snickering and rumour-mongering. Ms. Johns didn't care, she was happy. She told me all about how great it felt to get it off her chest. I considering telling her my own feelings but that was unfair; why ruin her mood with my depressing melancholy?

Miku frowned, her eyes tearing up. "Luka-"

"Within a week the entire school knew that Ms. Johns was a lesbian. This was when the bullying began. Kids wouldn't listen to her, would speak out to her in class, would call her names. One kid even went so far as to vandalize her car, writing 'homo' in big pink spray painted letters on the door. Kids can be evil, Miku, and the high school hive-mind mentality bullshit only propagates this terrible behaviour. Kids who would feel guilty about doing bad things would participate anyways to try and fit in. When I became a teacher I vowed to try and stop that.

"Ms. Johns couldn't take it, so she moved. It was the final piece of my broken heart imploding. She gave me her number and told me to call her anytime, even offered an extra bedroom to stay in if I wanted to visit. I never called. I couldn't bring myself to do it, even as my depression worsened. I wonder if she hates me for it..."

"Luka," Miku whispered, squeezing her girlfriend's hand even tighter.

Luka frowned. "I'm not finished, Sweetheart."

She took another deep breath before starting anew. "Anyways, after she left some of the kids wouldn't stop laughing about it. One day I couldn't take it anymore and I stood up for Ms. Johns, reminding everyone of how much they enjoyed and appreciated her before they found out about her sexual preference. I could tell the guilty kids right then, but the evil kids, and there _are_ evil children who exist, they just kept laughing and deflected everything onto me. 'Why would you defend a disgusting pervert like that, Luka? Are you gay too?' I couldn't tell them I was, so I took the hits and absorbed the pain. It was too much for me.

"That night, I went home and cried harder than I've ever cried before. My anti-depressants weren't working, all I could think about was how I lost the woman I loved and how I was going to endure years of bullying for sticking up for my favourite teacher. Actually being gay made it worse, knowing that any defense against the insults would just end up being lies. If I were to actually come out, my life, in the eyes of a teenager, would be over. My sorrow quickly turned to hate. Hatred at myself and who I am. Why couldn't I be the same as all the other girls? Why couldn't I get drunk at some weekend party, get fucked into the ground by some other drunk idiot, then come home and be happy with myself? Ms. Johns was my idol and my hero, but seeing the suffering she went through made me think she wasn't the hero I wanted to be. I could even become Superman but I would always have an asterisk after my name that leads to a little fun fact at the bottom; careful everyone, Superman is gay! Nobody wants their good, normal, heroes to be gay. Nobody wants their teachers to be gay. Nobody wants their neighbors to be gay. Nobody wants their children to be gay. Luka Megurine didn't want to be gay.

"I picked up my bottle of meds, flung off the cap, and up-ended the whole thing. I filled my body with as many pills as it could fit until I couldn't breathe. I swallowed everything and then fell back on my bed. I didn't have the sadness in me to cry, I was a despicable unnatural creature and I wanted to not exist anymore." Tears were slipping down Miku's cheeks and her breathing was hitched but Luka had to finish. "My parents didn't feel the same way and when my Mom found me in my room, foaming from the mouth, half-empty bottle of prescription medication spilled on the bed, she got me to the hospital as fast as she could. I woke up a few days later after getting my stomach pumped; my Mom and Dad were crying over me. I felt guilty. I realized immediately that they didn't deserve the pain of my death.

"To escape the hurt that waited for me back at school I decided to follow in my love's footsteps and just leave it all behind. I moved in with my aunt and uncle a few towns over; this town. Moving away and starting over was refreshing and was enough for me to suppress any of my romantic feelings or inclinations. They put me on stronger anti-depressants that worked way better but they wouldn't let me take them by myself anymore. My aunt and uncle kept them in a locked liquor cabinet and only pulled them out when it was time for them to give me some. I'm grateful for that, even if it wasn't necessary. The only thing I truly regret in my life was my attempt at taking it away and I would never do anything like that ever again.

"I couldn't just stop being homosexual, so I ignored it instead. I decided to just be alone forever and enjoy my own company. I've never told anyone of my sexual preference because it brought up the memories of those days. Even now I fear what could happen if I was more open. I think about what happened to Ms. Johns and..." Her cloudy-sky blue eyes had been condensating long enough, and the scared little girl still left inside of Luka found herself crying once again. "Miku, I love my job. I love this town. I love you. I love...I love my life and I don't want to even _risk_ losing anything I have."

As Luka collapsed into a wailing mess of tears, Miku was there. She wrapped her lover tightly in her arms and held on for dear life. She wanted to cry more, she was unable to stop herself earlier, but Luka needed her to be strong right now. Miku stroked Luka's long pink hair and considered that she might be the only person to have ever seen Luka cry like this. It made her feel even more loved. Miku squeezed as close as the patio chairs would allow and nestled her face in the crook of Luka's neck, forcing her to look up a bit. She planted soft kisses trailing from the top of her collarbone up to the edge of her chin and stopped to look her in the eyes. Luka was still crying, the lids getting puffy and red. Miku slowly leaned forward and kissed each eye as it closed, tasting salt tears and feeling tender, irritated skin. She raised a hand and wiped a finger across flushed cheeks, rubbing tears away.

"Luka," Miku whispered. "As long as I'm here, with you, there is nothing to be afraid of. You aren't alone. I'm never more than a text message or phone call away, no matter the distance, and I'll always be right next to you." A hand nestled itself comfortably overtop Luka's left breast. "In there."

Luka sniffled and wiped at her face. She looked down at Miku's hand and giggled."That's kinda lame, Miku."

"No, it's cute," Miku argued, smiling at the return of her girlfriend's lighter tone.

"It is cute," Luka agreed. "Until you turn it into a chance at molesting me."

Miku chuckled a low throaty guffaw. "Not this time." A wolfish grin cracked her lips. "I'll take a rain check though."

Luka laughed and put her own hand over Miku's. "Thank you."

"Anytime. How about we go to bed now?"

Luka nodded slowly. She up-ended her beer bottle and swallowed the last half of her drink in one gulp. When she set it down Miku was giving her an uneasy smile. Luka gave her a reassuring one back.

"I love you, Miku."

Miku's features softened. "I love you too, Luka."

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

_Beep._

"That's a good price for milk."

_Beep._

"There were a lot of sales today."

_Beep._

"Yeah, it was-hey wait! Don't scan that!"

Kouta stopped, the barcode inches away from the scanner. The pink-haired lady in front of him snatched the bottle of vodka out of his hands and jammed it in her teal-haired companion's face.

"What the fuck is this?" Pink demanded.

Teal smirked and crooked a hand on her hip. "I think it's a bottle of vodka? Grey Goose. Whoever picked that out has good, expensive tastes."

"Don't get smart with me now, Miku. We agreed not to keep any of this in the house."

_Beep._ Kouta nervously reached for the next item on the conveyor belt. If he was able to have their groceries ready to go by the end of the argument his manager wouldn't get mad at him for being slow. This happened every single Saturday anyways; one of them would grab something the other thought wasn't needed in their weekly grocery bill and they would make a huge scene about it in front of everyone. At least it wasn't Miku who was ticked off this time; she usually refused to relent until Luka kissed her. While not a bad sight at all, the discomfort that radiated off of Luka at being forced into a public display was more than enough to fertilize a permeating uneasiness throughout any nearby witnesses. Kouta was always chained to the front row during these escapades.

"Kouta," Luka started, dragging his attentions away from the scanner to the bottle of alcohol now being shoved in his face. "If Miku sexually assaulted you until she passed out every time she cracked one of these wouldn't you ban its purchase too?"

"Uh," Kouta stumbled. The image of a drunken Miku forcing herself on an unwilling Luka was now forever etched into his memory banks. Teal twintails bounced as the younger girl began cackling maniacally. A quick shift of his eyes confirmed that, yes, all members of the growing line of customers in his check-out aisle were waiting for an answer. Some of the more knowing ones tapped the handles of their carts, scowled, or chewed their gun violently in a theatrical performance of "Not This Shit Again, or How Those Lesbians Made Me Late for Lunch."

"You just asked a hot-blooded young man if he would mind getting sexually advanced upon by a hot piece of ass like me?" Miku laughed.

"Assaulted and advanced are very different words!" Luka argued, sticking her finger in the shorter girl's face.

"You're right," Miku agreed. She slid a hand up Luka's spine, virtually exposed by the low cut sundress she wore. "That's an advance." Then Miku leaned forward and took Luka's accusatory finger in her mouth. With the same hand she used on the spine she quickly reached up that sundress and squeezed her girlfriend's butt. Luka ripped her finger out of Miku's mouth just as her tongue began rolling it over inside. There was an audible pop.

"That's assault," Miku announced.

Luka blushed and pushed down on her dress as if exposed. "Miku!"

Said girl draped herself across the counter towards a stunned Kouta. "I better get a discount on the groceries for that show," she asserted.

"Miku!" Luka yelped again. Her blush deepened to a gala red and she stood there fumbling with the edge of her dress as if suddenly becoming aware that they were in a crowded grocery store and curious eyes molested her every action.

Kouta didn't know what to say. He casually reached for the next item on the conveyor belt. _Beep._ Miku smirked. "What's wrong, Kouta? You not into seeing pretty women like that getting groped? Cougars not your thing?"

"Excuse me?" Luka snarled. The change from mortified to furious was instant.

"You aren't a part of this conversation, cradle robber," Miku dismissed.

"Oh, you're just trying to piss me off!" Luka roared.

"What's going on here?" a voice behind Kouta inquired. His manager. _Oh no._

Luka's eyes narrowed like a tiger's, her subject of ire switching. She gave the manager behind him a once over and snorted. Kouta couldn't help but think that was a bit more haughty than necessary of a school teacher.

"You still work here?" Luka asked incredulously. She puffed out her chest and stuck her nose up.

"Unfortunately, yes," the manager answered. "You never see me because Kouta can usually handle your shit by himself."

"That's because Kouta is a better employee than you'll ever be!" Luka insulted. Miku opened her mouth as if to add something but chose to stay quiet instead.

"Fine, that's okay," the manager shrugged. "You two have had more than enough chances. You're both banned."

Luka's façade dropped. "Wait, what?"

"Leave and never come back," the manager demanded with a smile.

"But-" Miku clasped Luka's shoulder and prodded her towards the door.

"Miku, wait-"

"It isn't worth it," Miku said.

"But our groceries!"

"Let's just take our business somewhere else," Miku suggested. She rubbed the shoulder she was still holding.

"Smart girl," the manager complimented. "I was getting ready to call the police."

Luka stiffened and frowned. She sighed and nodded to Kouta. He nodded back and considered that it might be the last time he ever sees the couple. It made him kind of sad. Sure, they made a scene every week, caused trouble, and got him chewed out by his manager countless times but he would miss them. Maybe it was the very fact that they were there every week, a constant presence in the nearly random cycle of his work shifts. They were nice people who, in hindsight, were a bright spot in a dull day of stacking bananas. He watched Miku lead Luka out the door in silence.

"Watch them go, Kouta," his manager narrated as the sliding doors slid and the first few steps were taken outside. "Tails between their legs and in their place. That's how you deal with customers like that cherry blossom slut."

Miku stopped abruptly. She turned in place, halfway out the door.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

Kouta instinctively stepped away from his register and put some space between him and his manager. Miku stomped back in to the store, Luka trailing closely behind her.

"That that back and I'll leave forever," Miku offered grimly. She put her hands on her hips and held a firm stance. Luka was decidedly less imposing behind her hunched over slightly and frowning uncomfortably.

"No, I won't take it back and you'll leave forever anyways," the manager countered. "You and your girlfriend come in here every week and whore the place up with all your kissing and groping and degenerate behaviour. You're both sluts who-"

_CRACK_

Time slowed as Kouta took in what just happened. His manager was falling over, her face in a state of shock from the powerful right hook that exploded out of the small girl in front of her. Miku's arm was finishing its arc in a perfect boxer's stance, her face pure determination. The most serious look Kouta had ever seen lived in those teal eyes at that moment. On the other hand, Luka looked terrified. She was watching the trajectory of the manager as she-

**BANG**

Hit her head right off of the edge of the counter.

"Oh shit!" one of the nearby customers, or maybe bystanders now, exclaimed.

Kouta didn't know what to do. He and Luka were left with similar states, looking frantically from Miku to the manager on the ground; however, while Luka was smiling and her cheeks were tinted with a flush, Kouta was ghostly pale and sick.

Miku raised an eyebrow to her victim and then looked up to the long line of customers who witnessed what just happened. She blushed and scratched the back of her head at the discretion of the wide eyed gazes. "She's not bleeding," Miku defended weakly.

"Bitch got knocked the fuck out!" a customer commented. Murmurs agreed with the statement in their own ways.

"Miku, I think we should leave," Luka whispered. Her cheeks were flushed and she was holding her arms together awkwardly. She tapped her foot and darted her head between the ranges of stares from the many customers who had witnessed what just happened.

"I don't know, I might have hurt her," Miku whispered back. Kouta watched her shake out her hand and rub her knuckles. They were a dark red.

"Where did you learn to punch like that?" Luka whispered with an odd flutter to her voice.

Miku shrugged and smiled. "I played a lot of hockey when I was younger."

"Uh, guys, I think you should go," Kouta spoke up finally. He knelt down and poked his manager. She was unresponsive. In panic he placed two fingers to her neck and felt a pulse. A sigh of relief. "She won't wake up for a while but when she does she'll be pissed."

"You okay with handling that?" Miku asked with the strangest glint in her eye.

"I think so," Kouta answered nervously. "I'll stick up for you guys if she tries to say anything. She provoked you."

Miku's face lit up immediately. She bent down to his level and smacked him on the back. "That's better than any discount! Thanks, Kouta." All he saw was a flash of teal when she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He felt very pleased with himself that he didn't explode into a blush.

"You ready to leave, Sweetie?" Miku asked of her companion, bouncing up from the ground and hopping over to give her a kiss on the cheek as well.

"I guess so," Luka answered. She gave one last look to the body on the floor and her lips twisted into something halfway between fear and the widest smile Kouta had ever seen on the woman. "I'm feeling pretty good."

"Great!" Miku cheered. She grabbed her girlfriend by the shoulder again and led her towards the door. "Now, how about you take those good vibes straight to the liquor store to reward me for my chivalry?"

"Damn it!" Luka cursed. She shrugged off her girlfriend's shoulder and stomped ahead of her. "How did I know you would go back to this?"

"C'mon, I deserve some fun!" Miku complained.

"You can have fun walking back to the apartment," Luka grumbled. Then, in a streak of cherry blossom pink, she broke off into a run straight out of the store into the parking lot. Miku was dazed for less than a second before she took off after her, screaming in her teal-tinted pursuit.

"Wait! Luka! I love you!" she called desperately as the automatic doors to the entrance closed.

Kouta watched the doors for a minute in silence along with the other witnesses. With a dejected sigh he realized his break was over and reached for the nearest item. _Beep._ He looked up at the work ahead of him to see the next customer in line waiting with a full cart and a confused shrug. The conveyor was filled with groceries and an empty cart sat next to it. He looked from the groceries, to the cart, to the door, to the groceries again.

He wondered if this was the last time those girls would make his day difficult.

**The End.**

* * *

><p><em>AN_

Hey, hope you liked it. I'm not going to lie, I love it. It's something I would want to read.

Anyways, this is the planned ending to the story but I might add more eventually. It took me half the Summer plus a couple months to finish this thing in the little bursts of time that I did have so this has been a long time coming. I have a few ideas for quick little one-shot type deals that I might type up soon. I also have an idea for a sort-of companion piece to this that I'm really interested in getting out there one day. After all, we still don't know Miku's backstory…

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the story. Leave me a comment, review, pm or whatever to tell me what you thought and how I could improve. Thanks!

AirbornAnomaly


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